“Deeper Truths” Lesson 8 of 12
Based on Kenneth Bailey’s book
Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes
Given 23 April 2026
Via Zoom
By Bob Mendelsohn
Thank you for joining us tonight for our 8th lesson in this series. You have given me 2 months of listening and watching each week since the end of February and I don’t take that lightly. Some of you have recently joined us and I invite you to watch the previous lessons on my YouTube channel in the playlist entitled “Deeper Truths.” We have so far discussed in both the lecture part of the evening and in the Question time that immediately follows these topics: 1) The Lord’s Prayer, 2) The birth of Jesus, 3) The Beatitudes, 4) The Dramatic Actions of Jesus, and tonight we begin the penultimate section that Bailey titles “Jesus and Women.” We will cover this section in two sessions.
While Bailey zooms in on several women, I will make sure we look at others in the Bible as well. Think about the mutualism found in the Scripture, that is, Eve and Adam both in the Garden of Eden. Both removed. Then they try after the expulsion to have children, and Eve hopes that their first-born Cain would be the serpent-bruiser.
Not only at the beginning of the Scripture, but at the beginning of the Gospels, we see women. Five of them (as we previously discussed in the Birth story of Matthew 1) including Mary, Mark includes Peter’s mother-in-law in chapter 1 of his biography who is healed and immediately gets up to serve the disciples. Luke showcases Elizabeth and Mary, each more noble in a fashion than their husbands in his chapter 1, and John waits to chapter 2 to highlight Mary and the miracle at Cana.
We might note that the Church began at Pentecost as recorded in Acts chapter 2 and that Peter the apostle mentions more than once that men and women are included in the supernatural actions of the Lord. More on that later.
Bailey has often brought to our attention throughout this book the back-and-forth inclusions of women stories and men stories, and we ought not miss those references again.
Our author chooses for us to study—all unnamed: The Woman at the well (John 4), the Syrophoenician woman (Mark chapter 7), the woman caught in adultery (John 8), and the sinful forgiven woman at the house of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7). He finishes the Women section with two parables. One, the woman and the Judge (Luke 18) and the wise and foolish young women or virgins (Matt. 25). We will deal with only two of those women tonight. Be patient, we will get to all of them by end of next week.
Each of the four unnamed women had heard about Jesus before they met him in person. What they heard influenced what they believed and what they wanted from him. You know that the apostle Paul wrote the famous, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10.17). Faith is the key we find that opens the door to God’s love and peace, for each who employs this faith of the Son of God (Gal. 2.20-21) John the apostle wrote, “Faith is the victory” (1 John 5.4). What is it to believe, anyway? Is it a description of a mental ascent? Is it a checklist of ideas that we agree with? Not even close. Faith is surrender to the God who has called us out of darkness. Faith is letting God be God and you be you. It’s admitting who is who in the equation of religion. It means I trust God, I confide in God, and in his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, to make his way known to me and to those near me.
Each of these women will exemplify these ideas of faith, and even the women in the parables that will follow as well.
With that as an introduction, let us be sure about our own faith and the calling God has on us, on our women friends and relatives and all those whom we know. It is a gift, after all, and a fruit of the same Spirit. Fruit grows and is not relegated to a back shelf in the world of religion. It is the evidence of a heart toward God. (Hebrews 11.1)
I’m feeling led to speak more about faith just now. The Hebrew root of the word ‘faith’ (Emunah) is the word we say at the end of prayers. ‘Amen.’ Amen is often simply translated as “so be it.’ Basically, it means, “What you said just now, that prayer you offered… I agree with this and hope it happens soon.” In other words, “Amen” means “I agree.”
Now it’s hard to agree with something some people say and it’s almost impossible to disagree with yourself. In light of the spiritual gift of the speaking in tongues, Paul wrote, “For otherwise, if you bless God in the spirit only, how will the one who occupies the place of the outsider know to say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you are saying?” (1 Corinthians 14.16) If you speak in another language than the one in which the meeting is being conducted and a novice or unbeliever comes in, how can they say, “I agree” with any honesty? That’s a very good point.
Of course, Paul answers that conundrum with the ‘interpretation of tongues’ where he says, “Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.” (1 Cor. 14.13)
The whole point of the tongues with or without interpretation is for faith to grow in unbelievers and for the people of God to be edified. Faith is the key and saying, “I agree” makes someone else’s prayer your prayer. It makes others’ faith to be your faith. Faith is not isolated; it’s communal.
Those are some of my thoughts tonight; I’m sure we can speak more about that after the teaching section or down the proverbial road.
Back to women…
The Older Testament and Women
One of the things about which I’m clear is that everything I know about God in the Older Testament is found in Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God (Col. 1.15) If you have been following me on YouTube lately you will know that I have produced 10 shorts that have been ringing this subject, “Exodus 34 and Jesus—same God, two Testaments.” He’s the Lord, Lord God, compassionate and merciful, abounding in lovingkindness and truth.”
I tell you that to remind us all that if God were to suddenly change his manner or his tune or his belief system, that would be off putting. After all, he says, “I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3.6) In fact, if he were to change, then the 2nd half of that verse would be out-of-kilt. For he says, “therefore you, o sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” Based on God’s immutable character, Israel continues to survive. That’s a comfort to me and all Jewish people I know.
Now as of tonight, I’m going to begin a new 10-part shorts series on Jesus and women in the Bible and challenge the mindset of opponents who think that the Scriptures keep women in a 2nd class, subservient category and thus they reject its hypotheses.
Women in those days, but not in Bible!
However, Bailey makes it clear that Jesus is different, not to the biblical picture of women, but to the Jewish displacement of them. His use of Ben Sirach quotations is outrageous, isn’t it? Listen to what Bailey quotes: “A deterioration seems to have taken place in the intertestamental period, as seen in the writings of Ben Sirach. The aristocratic scholar of Jerusalem, who lived and wrote in the early 2nd century BC. For him, women could be good wives and mothers and are to be respected, but if you don't like your wife, don't trust her. (7:26). Be careful to keep records of the supplies you issue to her. (4:26-7). Deed no property to her during your lifetime, and do not let her support you. (33:20, 25:22-26). Women are responsible for sin coming into the world, and their spite is unbearable. (25:13-26). Daughters are a disaster. Indeed, to Ben Sirach, a daughter was a total loss and a constant potential source of shame. (7:24-29, 22:3-5, 26:9-12, 42:9-11). There is no discussion of women, apart from their relationship to men, and Ben Sirach's list of heroes of faith records only males. (44-50). A low point is reached when Ben Sirach writes, “do not sit down with the women, for moth comes out of clothes, and a woman's spite out of a woman. A man's spite is preferable to a woman's kindness. Women give rise to shame and reproach.” (42:12-14).” (page 307)
The first Jew for Jesus: The Virgin Mary
Before we dig into at least two of the women in his quartet, let me highlight Miriam, the mother of Yeshua. Mother Mary. The Virgin Mary. The teenager from Nazareth who one fateful day receives an angelic visitor, Gabriel, and their conversation and her subsequent “Song of Mary” fill a chapter in the Bible. (Luke 2). She is at that point engaged to a man named Joseph. They are both from the line of King David. Mary’s song sounds a lot like Hannah’s song (1 Samuel 1) with gratitude and boasting in the Lord as major themes. Both women had other children after this firstborn. Hannah had 5 more children. Mary had at least 6.
We already covered the genealogical issues of Mary in the lesson on the Birth of Jesus. (https://bob-mendelsohn.blogspot.com/2026/03/lesson-3-of-12-on-birth-of-jesus.html) And there we saw the 5 women listed in Matthew chapter 1. Mary is the capstone of them all and I believe each of the Gospel writers made her symbolic of all that is good in women.
Yeshua admonished John to look after her while Yeshua was dying on the cross. (John 19.26-27) Yeshua calling her “woman” in the wedding miracle at Cana (John 2.4) is not a derogatory as we might hear in the Bronx, no, it was endearing.
No matter whether you are a staunch Catholic or a vehement anti-Catholic, we all must admit that the first Jew for Jesus was this young teenager named Miriam. She was engaged but had no sexual relations with Joseph. He found out that she was pregnant and wanted to divorce her in secret to prevent her shame and his. We know the stories of the day about her pregnancy would have been seriously shameful. No one can recover from civic shame, think of the fallen pastor in Singapore or Dallas Texas, the government official in [name any country], and the person who disappointed you in your earlier life. Shame sticks.
That could have been her destiny, but the angel had plans; Miriam and Joseph stuck to those plans and to the Lord, and a virgin had a baby. The story began in a miracle, acceptable by the mother of the miracle baby. And that acceptance like of Hannah on the announcement of her Samuel, makes those ladies stand outs of faith.
In fact, no fewer than 4 women are listed in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11) and that is no mean amount. Sarah (.11), Rahab the harlot (.31), the women who received their dead by resurrection (widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 1) and Shunamite mother (2 King 4).
The record of the Older Testament in relation to women is replete with significant women who break the societal norms that Ben Sirach championed. Deborah, Ruth, Esther, my goodness, Esther, queen of 127 provinces of the Persian empire. Oy, could we use her now in Iran, amen?
The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4)
Back to Bailey’s quartet. First, the unnamed Samaritan Woman at the well. In John 4, Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well is one of the longest recorded conversations Jesus has with any individual. Bailey emphasizes that this is not casual dialogue—it is a serious theological exchange. In a Middle Eastern context, several barriers are crossed: she is a woman, a Samaritan, and someone with a complicated personal history. Yet Jesus initiates the conversation.
“Give me a drink.” Now that could be rude, but she’s brought her bucket and a dipper. He doesn’t have one. He’s simply asking for assistance. That’s reasonable. But her response is ‘hey, you shouldn’t be talking to me.” It’s about social convention. He’s breaking the rules.
Bailey notes that in that culture, public interaction between an unrelated man and woman—especially a Jewish ‘rabbi’ and a Samaritan—would be avoided. But Jesus not only speaks to her; He engages her mind. He discusses living water, worship, and the nature of God. She responds intelligently, asks questions, and even raises theological debate about the proper location of worship. Jesus treats her as capable of understanding deep spiritual truth.
He tells her she should ask him and he would give her living water. She replies, “You don’t have a bucket.” She’s saying, this guy doesn’t know the social rules, and he doesn’t know the water gathering rules. He’s from some other place, but he’s not from around here.
I’m impressed with the way Jesus painted her into a corner, and she had no way out except to say, “Messiah will tell us everything.” Meaning, basically, ‘stay out of my life.’
He had told her about her five husbands.
He had told her about the man she was with during these days.
He told her enough that she knew that he could tell her everything about her life. He hadn’t been reading the newspaper to uncover information about her. He wasn’t from nearby. He didn’t know social rules, water rules, Jewish rules… who is this guy?
Importantly, the disciples’ reaction shows how unusual this is—they are surprised to find Him speaking with her, yet they say nothing. That silence, Bailey suggests, reflects both their discomfort and Jesus’ quiet authority.
The woman then becomes a messenger to her village. Bailey highlights that in a culture where her social standing would have been low, Jesus entrusts her with witness. She brings others to Him, and many believe because of her testimony. In fact, the whole town comes out to hear him and say, “we believe…we heard it for ourselves.”
Think about that. She’s the social outcast, gathering water in the heat of the day. She’s avoiding all social contact. Women collected water in the early morning or late afternoon. But this woman wanted to be alone. Yeshua interacted with her at just the right time.
She ran into town, leaving her watering jug. She approached ‘the men, and said, ‘come see a man who told me everything I ever did.” (John 4.29). And they listened. And they went and found out. Her witness was heard. Her person was validated. She was brought back into their sphere.
Bailey’s key point is that Jesus restores dignity without grand gestures or public protest. He simply treats her as a responsible theological thinker and credible witness. In doing so, He demonstrates that women are not only recipients of truth but also participants in proclaiming it.
The Woman caught in adultery (John 8)
The next woman we will unpack tonight is the unnamed woman caught in adultery. (John 8).
This text is not found in all the oldest manuscripts and Bailey makes the point that this was no doubt an oral story that someone wrote into the text in later decades and eventually its gloss is in our text today. I’m ok with that rendering, also.
This story is rightly placed immediately after the Sukkot story about which we spoke last week that culminates in the healing of the blind man after attending to the pool of Siloam. Yeshua is going to demonstrate that what he says he will do. If you are thirsty, come to me and drink.
In the story with the Samaritan woman at the well, he’s assuring her that he will supply water that is alive. Here he said that (John 7.37ff) in public on the top of the mount named Zion, as the last vestige of water was drained from Siloam. If God didn’t send rain as soon as possible, during the Rainy Season, then the land would parch and the people would have no crops in months to come. Again, he’s the God who provides water in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Ps.63.1)
Some gentlemen laid a trap as Bailey observes to catch Jesus in either a diminishing of the Torah or an unsympathetic situation with an adulteress. Of note, of course, is that the adulterer is nowhere to be found. Or was he right there all along? We aren’t told.
We see the woman cowering in fear for her life in front of the holy man. She knows the punishment; she teased herself that this wouldn’t be brought to trial. She was wrong.
They say to Jesus, “we caught this woman, in the very act.” What to do? Jesus stoops and writes on the ground. Is he stalling? He used his finger, not a stick or a stone. Just his own finger.
Jesus’ response is deliberately indirect. He stoops and writes on the ground—an action Bailey interprets as a way of defusing the public tension. Rather than immediately engaging the accusers, Jesus lowers Himself, shifts the emotional temperature, and refuses to play by their rules of escalation. When He finally speaks, he reframes the issue from legal technicality to moral accountability.
They persisted, “so he straightened up,” and raised the bar. He said, “he who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” (John 8.7) Nowhere in the Torah do we read that the executioners had to be holy.
Bailey approaches John 8 as a classic Honor–shame confrontation staged in a public, male-dominated setting. The woman is dragged into the temple courts—likely surrounded by a crowd—by religious leaders who are not primarily interested in justice but in trapping Jesus. Bailey notes the obvious: the Law requires both parties, yet only the woman is produced, exposing the situation as manipulated and unjust from the start.
In a Middle Eastern context, public shaming is powerful and often irreversible as we mentioned with the Virgin Mary. This woman stands exposed, silent, and defenceless. Bailey emphasizes that her silence is culturally appropriate—she cannot argue her case in that setting. The men, by contrast, control the narrative and expect Jesus to validate their authority.
In Bible days the Talmud teaches us, the two witnesses to a crime, who brought the information about the guilt of the accused, must stand behind their story. How? They are the ones who will push the guilty into (in the case of stoning) a rock pit and be the first to toss the opening rocks into the make-shift quarry and begin the execution. Other rules I remember have to do with the height of the platform where all three would stand until the two push the guilty one off. The platform had to be doubled the height of the accused. In falling onto the rocks below, the man’s neck would usually break and death would be immediate, they hoped.
Jesus elevates the holiness required by the witnesses and executioners. In fact, knowing what we know about Yeshua now, he was the only one who could have cast the first stone. He was the only one without sin. Bailey highlights the gradual withdrawal of the accusers, beginning with the oldest ones. This orderly exit preserves their honour while simultaneously dismantling their case. Jesus does not humiliate them; He allows them a way out. And why did the old ones leave first, dropping their stones?
They knew their own guilt. They had been accused. That’s why Jesus was writing in the sand.
Read with me these two OT texts and you will see what I mean.
“When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.” (Exodus 31.18)
The 2nd text is found in Jeremiah chapter 17. You won’t want to miss this. I’m reading from the KJV.
“O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.” (17.13)
I believe that Yeshua was writing with his finger the sins perhaps in column 1 and the names of the sinners, perhaps in column 2. Menachem, coveting. Reuven ben Eliyahu, adultery. Etc. The old ones saw their sin and knew, like the woman at the well that he could tell them everything they had ever done. They dropped their rocks. The gig was up. But not complete.
Left alone with the woman, Jesus restores her dignity. His question, “Where are they? Does no one condemn you?” invites her to speak for the first time. She says, “no one, Lord.” Then He declares, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more.” Bailey stresses that this is not permissiveness. It is grace paired with moral clarity.
She is not forgiven, in a technical sense. Why not? Because there is no court. There are no continuing accusers. The courtroom is empty. Properly this is forensic forgiveness. And full of moral clarity.
In this encounter, Jesus protects the vulnerable, exposes injustice, and restores honour—without inciting public chaos. For Bailey, it is a masterful example of how Jesus upholds both compassion and righteousness within the realities of Middle Eastern culture.
And how he showcases another woman, another unnamed woman, as better than her accusers, a manipulated woman, used by her male counterparts for their physical and moral superiority manoeuvring, but in the end, she wins. And Yeshua gets the glory.
Next week we will delve into the Syrophoenician woman and the sinner attending to Yeshua in the house of Simon the Pharisee as we keep marching through the book on Jewish culture, Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes.
My takeaways tonight:
1) Be sure your sins will find you out (Num. 32.23)
2) Jesus never diminished Torah, he elevated it.
3) Mary’s Magnificat and Hannah’s petition BEFORE they had their baby are signs of faith and deep confidence in the Lord of life
4) When Jesus backs you into a corner it’s for your good and his glory. The sooner you submit, the better for everyone.
5) The first people to announce the Messiah were women. First the Samaritan here, and later Mary and the other women at the tomb, including Magdalena who went and told the brothers “He is risen” God can and will use you, dear sisters, to proclaim his Good News.
